


like cats & dogs

by dogloser



Category: Naruto
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Halloween, Halloween Challenge, Halloween Costumes, Halloween Gift Exchange, Humor, Ninken | Ninja Dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:20:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27203735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dogloser/pseuds/dogloser
Summary: Kakashi joins his friends in a Halloween costume party. The one who recognizes the most and is recognized the least gets a free bottle of sake. With a team like his, Kakashi really, really needs that sake, so he's willing to pull out all the stops.30 Min Gift for Nibbler747 !!Prompt: "I know it's you behind the mask."
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Yamato | Tenzou
Comments: 6
Kudos: 103





	like cats & dogs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nibbler747](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nibbler747/gifts).



The entire bar was flashing deep purple, orange, and green strobe lights, covering the party goers below in a dazzling hue of shadow and October-colored light. It was hard to make out who was who with the lighting alone, let alone now that everyone was in costume. Although, with a few, Kakashi could guess.

The scent of cigarette smoke led him directly to Asuma and Kurenai, both dressed as a devil and an angel, accordingly. Kakashi recalled they had told him their outfit ideas prior, and while he had never met an angel with red eyes, he knew better than to tell Kurenai as such.

Their eyes drifted over him but Kakashi saw no recognition there. It was a good sign, and he smirked to himself, before shifting away and melting back into the throng of shinobi. He blended with the crowd, and seconds later, he was lost among them all.

It was a Jonin-only party, for those who could make it. It was an annual celebration, of pretending to be scared of things that were child’s play to the horror they had grown up seeing, and everyone always had fun. Some had too much fun, in Kakashi’s opinion. They’d taken precautions in case the Village was attacked, having two separate parties, one on Friday night and one on Saturday, with the Jonin divided evenly among the parties--but Kakashi always preferred to be ready at any moment’s notice.

Speaking of having  _ too  _ much fun, however… A loud, bellowed laugh drew his attention. It was almost pitifully easy to spot Gai, dressed in his usual green onesuit, except now a gigantic shell decorated his back, and a green mask was placed over his eyes.

Quietly pulling out a sheet of paper, Kakashi put a checkmark next to  _ Maito Gai, _ and beside it, wrote  _ Turtle (again). _

He stashed the page and continued on his way. He’d recognized five of their group, thus far. Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai he had just seen, and Kotesu and Izumo had been dressed as a hamburger and fries closer to the entrance.

Now, all that were left were Iruka, Genma, and Tenzo, the three he was assuming to be the most difficult to spot. A free bottle of sake, paid for by every other member except the winner, was at stake. Kakashi couldn’t afford to lose, not when he had the team that he did.

He supposed it might be fair if Iruka won, but only because the man dealt with a  _ classroom _ filled with  _ pre-Genin _ daily. Then again, Iruka chose to subject himself to that. Kakashi didn’t ask for his kids, and thus, he should win by default.

Alas, the rules didn’t allow that. All he had to do was stay hidden and unrecognized, and if he recognized everybody else, the sake was as good as his.

Kakashi slid through the crowd of partying Jonin, moving away from the bar. His eye flicked over the masses until it pinpointed what looked like a porcupine made out of senbon in the corner.

He tsked, wrote down Genma’s outfit after checkmarking his name, and continued on his way.

Two left. Iruka and Tenzo couldn’t hide from him  _ forever. _ And he was confident enough in his own outfit that he wouldn’t be caught, either. If  _ Gai  _ hadn’t even given him a second glance, let alone noticed him, after spending their lives together, then surely no one else would.

Iruka he spotted next. The mask covered the scar across his nose neatly, but there was no mistaking him… mostly because he was dressed as a bowl of ramen. His brown hair was streaked with yellow, and his shirt was a narutomaki, and the mask over his eyes and nose were decorated as chopsticks.

_ Very funny, _ Kakashi bemused sarcastically as he checked Iruka off his list.

One more. One more and he’d have a night unwinding paid for by everyone else (not to say that his meals and drink weren’t  _ usually  _ paid for by everyone else, but this time it would at least be well-earned). All he had to do now was find Tenzo, who probably came dressed like a tree. After that, he would just have to remain unfound until the sun rose. His plan was perfect.

And seeing how the night was still young… Kakashi could go for a drink. He’d found almost everybody, after all. So he moved towards the bar. Luckily, Gai had moved off somewhere else (he was sure he could find the turtle shell if he looked hard enough), so Kakashi situated himself in front of the bar and ordered.

He had a drink in hand when he turned around, leaning against the bar, scanning the crowd for signs of a tree. 

A tree wasn’t what he found, though.

A  _ cat _ strolled into the party. Tenzo’s eye mask was an altered version of his ANBU mask, different enough that no one would recognize the artwork unless they had worked with him on an ANBU team, but there was no mistaking it to Kakashi.

Looking a little closer, Kakashi noticed Tenzo was in a black onesie. It had a tail.

He snorted to himself, set down his drink, and pulled out his page. Sake sake, here he comes…

“I know it’s you behind the mask.”

Kakashi saw feet standing by his own, and he sighed, looking up into almond-shaped eyes. “Hm? Do I know you?” He asked uselessly.

Tenzo snickered, settling beside him at the bar and motioning for a drink of his own. “Please, Senpai. I’m insulted.”

Kakashi sighed, giving up the charade, and he instead picked up his glass. Tenzo continued, “Gai hasn’t recognized you yet?”

To that, the Hatake shook his head. “He never does,” he replied. “He knows I’m familiar, but not enough to place a name to a face.”

Tenzo smiled into his drink, taking a sip. “I don’t blame him. It’s not like you show your face that often.”

Kakashi hummed. Instinctively, one of his hands moved up to rub at his bare neck. It was his secret key to victory, using only an eye mask instead of his full-face mask like usual. Even with his white hair, having his face exposed guaranteed victory--and Kakashi hated losing. “I didn’t think you’d recognize me,” he admitted. “It’s been a few years.”

Being on Team Ro together, Tenzo had seen Kakashi’s face a handful of times. Trying to survive together was often more important than keeping a mask in place, or replacing it when it was torn.

“I didn’t,” Tenzo replied. Kakashi raised an eyebrow, turning to look at the younger man.

“What do you mean, you didn’t?”

The wood-user laughed. It was a hearty sound, mingling with the laughs of his other friends, scattered around. Kakashi couldn’t help but to feel content in this moment; it was peaceful, and good, right now.

Still with a massive grin, Tenzo wiped at his eyes. “Maybe Gai’s influence has finally gotten to you, Senpai.”

“Don’t call me that,” Kakashi retorted. “Seriously, what gave me away?”

“Because, Senpai, you really had to come dressed as  _ Pakkun?” _


End file.
